I don't know where to get ASPI manager but the only way I know how to install ASPI manager is to install like Easy CD Creator 4. When you install Easy CD Creator 4, it will install ASPI Manager too. Then if you don't want to keep Easy CD Creator 4, just uninstall it. It won't uninstall ASPI manager though.

thnx .. but i just intalled the latest Nero version instead (ver 5.5.4.0). Its working fine already

U can download the forceaspi 1.7 from www.doom9.net download section
 
it will let you have aspi layer without installing the ezcd creater

Of course the Nero version is not a general Aspi manager (they were sued by Adaptec and devised their own proprietary version).
 
It will furnish sufficient Aspi services for some programs if you copy it to their working folder like in GoldenHawk's CDRWin. It will not work for DVD, DivX, for those use ForceAspi which includes extra options.

I've done this before and it works fine... however I have two questions..
 
what exactly is this ASPI layer? what does it do? always wondered that even though i never really needed to know.

actualy, you don't really need CDRWIN or EZCD Creator.
You can burn both ISO and cue&bin in Nero.
But, if you want to create ISO and cue&bin CD image, that's another case.
I still think that EZCD Creater suck.

An ASPI layer being a universal set of commands foregoes the need of directly controlling CD functions. Appearance of Atapi devices made this inevitable. Aspi is an integral part of DVD.
 
Windows 2000 by default comes with a incomplete ASPI set (two files out of four) due to a Microsoft disagreement with Adaptec. Adaptec retaliates through totally false declarations that an ASPI layer cannot be installed safely on Windows 2000.
 
All Microsoft Windows products considers CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD drives as SCSI devices. To transfer command to those SCSI devices a set of command similar to SCSI has to be used. Three such sets were developed and the latest one being by Adaptec became an industry standard. The first two were more complete and efficient one was offered as proprietary the other as freeware.
 
Adaptec developed ASPI (Adaptec SCSI Proprietary Interface) with much the poorest set of commands. To force this set as a standard they bought out the company that developed the efficient freeware one to and removed it from the market. There followed their numerous Court fights against burning sofware houses forcing them to develop their own solutions (Ahead's Nero, Blindwrite).

I reinstalled Windows XP on my PC. While it was installing it I got "ADAPTEC ASP32 is not compatible with Windows XP.
 
I have MTU microstudio. I reinstalled it because I received error: unable to initialize to the ASPI manager - ASPI manager support information not found. It mentions ASPI Driver Version 1.2.0.0
 
So, when I try to open Microstudio I always get error: unable to initialize to the ASPI manager.
 
How can I install this driver to work microstudio?
 
Thanks.

Download an updated ASPI layer from Adaptec.com. I believe the latest version is 4.60.

A few years ago, I used to keep 3 ASPI binaries (not all installed at the same time, mind you).
 
I had the Adaptec version, LSI Logic version, and ForceASPI. I think at the time those were the "big 3".